Each Sunday, my mom would tie my hair in pigtails and put my white and pink Eagles jersey on my miniature torso. Oblivious to the Sunday festivities, I would sit in disarray at the game unfolding before me on our box TV. 

I grew up as the daughter of a former college football player and high school football coach. Our house was filled with Eagles helmets, old awards from my dad’s coaching days, and inflatable Eagles yard decorations. While I was aware that football was a big part of my family’s lives, I didn’t realize how much of an effect it would have on me. 

To be honest, I can’t really remember any memories regarding the game of football from my childhood. The first memory I have of the game was when my dad would throw the football to me and my brother. One specific time, I went long and was so focused on the ball, that I didn’t even see the giant tree in front of me and ran straight into it. That’s beside the point. 

Up until junior year, I had watched the Eagles from the couch in my living room. On that day in junior year, I got all dressed up in my Eagles gear and hopped in the car, ready to take the 30-minute trip to Lincoln Financial Field. Me and my dad sat in a park across from the Linc, eating chips, tailgating, and getting excited for the game that lay ahead. Little did I know that that game would open a can of worms and show me how football is way more than a sport.

If you couldn’t tell from my short synopsis of the time I ran into a tree playing football in the front yard, I wasn’t really the football-playing type. While I couldn’t throw a perfect spiral or dodge defenders, after my first trip to the Linc, I knew that I loved the game of football. 

While I enjoyed the excitement and the rowdiness the stadium brought, there was something way more meaningful than the feelings you get from watching a game. I walked away from the stadium feeling closer to my father. 

It’s been four years since my first Eagles game, and I’ve gone to countless games since. I’ve stood in hurricane conditions watching the birds play the Jaguars. I’ve stood in below-freezing temperatures while snowing against the Rams. No matter the weather, conditions, or time of day, I’ve stood there side by side with my dad. 

College life can get busy. As a commuter student, I expected to see my parents every day, but with my busy schedule there were many days where I didn’t get to see them, and if I did, it was a quick hello and then I’d be out the door. Despite being busy and constantly moving, I could rely on one thing – Sundays with my dad. No matter how busy I was, I would be able to spend my Sundays with my dad.  

Eagles games didn’t just bring me closer to my dad. The Eagles have shown me what a true sense of community is. As a freshman in college, filled with anxiety at a school I eventually transferred out of, a simple “Go Birds!” would remind me that I was not that far from home.

Even though I transferred and have made Rowan my second home, the Eagles have followed me there as well. While Rowan may be filled with fans of all teams, from Bills fans to Commanders fans, you can’t help but notice the abundance of community when you find an Eagles fan. A simple high five or a “go birds” can instantly put a smile on an Eagles fan’s face. 

I mean, I don’t know anywhere else where it is socially acceptable for an email to end with a team’s slogan other than Philly. 

Football has brought me closer to my dad and shown me what community is, but it has also been my life jacket when I feel like I’m sinking. It’s no secret that college life can be busy. There have been countless times when I’ve gotten lost in the work and can’t seem to find my footing. Being filled with anxiety after seeing my calendar on Canvas filled with upcoming assignments and discussion boards due is something that I know I’m not alone in. This anxiety and stress may be inevitable, but there was always one thing that kept me sane – an Eagles Sunday. No matter how busy I was, or how stressed I was, I knew that Sundays with my family would be my day off. I wouldn’t let myself worry about assignments and exams when surrounded by the people I love most, watching the game I love most.

As the season is ending and I can’t help but feel a bit of sadness for the long wait until next season, I know I have so much to be thankful for. I mean, how cool is it that four 15-minute quarters can do so much for a person? 

As I’m writing this, I don’t know the results of the Super Bowl. While I hope the Eagles walk away with a win, I can’t help but feel so fulfilled with the amazing memories I’ve made this season and with the comfort the game has brought to me in times of anxiety and chaos. 

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